Improvement in machines for digging and gathering potatoes



J. B. PARVIN.

Potato-Digger.

Patented May -10, 1859.

NITED STATES FFICE,

ATENT JONATHAN B. PARVIN, OF HIGHTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELFAND ELIAS STRATTON, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN MACHINES FOR DIGGING AND GATHERING POTATOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 23,988, dated May 10,1859.

all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN B. PARVIN, of Hightstown,in the county ofMercer and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Digging and Gathering Potatoes; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescriptionof the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad tothe accompanying drawings, in which- .Figure 1 represents an elevationof said potato-digger. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical sectionthrough the same. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 represent detached views,hereinafter to be described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the frame of the machine. It is supported by the twodriving-wheels, one of which is seen at B.

0 represents a swivel-roller, which is secured to the front end of themachine by means of the swivel-pin a.

D represents a serrated cutter, the shape of which is represented inFig. 3, which is secured to the swivel E ofthe roller G, and whichserves the purpose of cutting down the vines and weeds, and which arethen pressed down by the roller 0 passing over them. The object of theswivel is to turn the roller 0 and cutter D to its proper workingposition when the team is turned;

E represents the digging-plow. It is secured to the front of the frameG, which also supports the rollers H and I, around which pass twoendless belts or' chains, K, to which the slats or rods 1) are secured,and which thus serve as an endless slatted apron for the purpose ofconveying the potatoes toward the rear of the machine. The frame G ishung at its rear end to the shaft 0, which is supported by the bracketsL, and can swing freely on the shaft 0, while its front end is suspendedto the screw-shafts d, the latter passing through the shafts f, whichrest with both their ends on the frame A.

9 represents a link, which connects the shaft f with the shaft h, theends of which also rest on the frame A.

M represents a lever, which is secured to the end of the shaft It. Byturning the lever M the link 1 and shaft f, and consequently thescrew-shafts d and plow F, will be raised or lowered to such a height asthe operator may desire for the proper performance of the work. Besidesthis the frame G and the parts which are supported by it can be adjustedby means of the screw-nuts m.

N is a cogged wheel, which is set loosely on the shaft 0, and whichmeshes into the wheel 0, the latter receiving its motion from thedriving-shaft n. The face of the wheel N is provided with twoprojection, 0, Fig. 5, on which the clutch 12 operates when it is movedby the lever P toward the face of the wheel N. The clutch p is set uponthe shaft 0 by means of hub z', and is prevented from turning on saidshaft by the tongues l, fitting into a groove of the hub, while thewheel N turns loosely on the shaft 0, and is coupled to said shaft onlyby the application of the clutch p.

Q represents a grate, which is hung to the frame A by means of the rodsq, and which can swing freely on saidrods,

4" represents a forked lever, the upper end of which is attached to thecrank 8, while its lower ends are pivoted to the grate Q. Thus, as thecrank sis rotated, the frame Q is vibrated in such a manner that therear part thereof, which is suspended to the rods q, shall swing simplyon said rods, while the front part, which is suspended to the forks 1',has a compound vertical and horizontal motion, which it receives fromthe crank s, for the purpose of not only freeing the potatoes from thead her in g dirt, but also for causing them to move to the rear and todrop off the grate.

t represents the crank of the shank s, which receives its motion fromthe pinion a, which and into box U as they are delivered by thev grateQ. The box U is closed on the rear side by a hinged door, V, which maybe opened or closed by the driver from his seat W by the followingarrangement:

X is a lever, which turns on the fulcrum w, and to the short arm ofwhich the rod 00 is hinged at y. The other end of the rod 00 is pivotedto the crank-lever 2 at 2, the lever z turning on the fulcrum 8, whilethe arm 4 of said lever is brought up against the arm 5 of the lever Y,which turns on the fulcrum 6, and thus disengages the arm 7 from thelatch 8, upon which the door V is pushed out by the weight of thepotatoes within the box U.

The rear end of the machine is supported by the swivel-roller Z, which,as the machine is turned, tracks the driving-wheels.

The operation of the machine is as follows: As the machine is drawn overthe field the serrated cutter D cuts ofi' the weeds, which are thenpressed down by the roller G. The frame Gr being lowered down to therequired depth by the means above described, the digging-plow F entersthe ground, and the soil and potatoes rise up the inclination 10 andonto the endless apron K. The driving-wheels B impart rotary motion tothe shaft a, wheels 0, pinions w and N, and to the pulleys 11 and 12,which latter drives the elevating apparatus above described. The soiland potatoes digged up by the shovel F pass up over the apron K, wherepart of the adhering soil drops through between the rods 1), and therest is carried toward and drops onto the vibrating grate Q, where thepotatoes are freed from the adher ing soil and pass toward the elevator,the buckets Q} of which carry the potatoes upward and over-the partitionT and drop them into the box U. \Vhen the latter is sutficiently filledthe driver from his seat W turns the lever X, and thereby disengages thearm 7, Fig. 4, from the latch 8, when the weight of the potatoes willpress the door V outward and they will drop onto the ground in one heap.When the box U is emptied the door V will shut by its own weight, andthe operation can be repeated. During the intervals of emptying the boxU the delivering apparatus K is uncoupled from the pinion N by removingthe clutch p from the projections 0.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what I claimtherein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of the weed-cutter D and roller (J, when mounted on aswivel and applied toa potato-digger, snbstantiallyin the manner and forthe purpose herein described.

2. Hinging the frame that carries the plow and the endless apron K onthe shaft 0, when used in combination with the lever, links, and rods,by which the operator from his seat can raise up, lower, or hold up theplow and apron, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the adjustable endless apron K, horizontal andvertically vibrating grate Q, and the elevating apparatus, substantiallyas herein described.

JONATHAN B. PARVIN.

Witnesses:

G. COHEN, Trros. H. UPPERMAN.

